The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-06
THE SOURCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.


1t is somewhat remarkable that at this late
day controversy should have arisen concern
ing the source of the Mississippi river, and
scarcely less remarkable that the final settle
ment of the controversy should have been
made by private enterprise, actuated by bust
ness motives. The controversy was started
by one Captain Glazier and settled by the
book publishing house of Ivison, Brakeman,
Taylor & Co., Of New York. Glazier was
actuated by selfish motives in wishing to have
the glory Of discovering new source for the
great river, and the publishing house was
actuated by desire to ascertain the correct
ness of their biographies and aliases. 1t is
but fair to say they have done so, and estab
lished beyond question that Lake Itasca is the
source of the Mississippi. Captain Glazier
published his first map in 1884, and a second
one in 1886, in each of which he showed a
small lake about ten miles in circumference,
lying short distance south of Lake Itasca,
and emptying into it, which he claimed was
|
be the discoverer of this lake, and called it
Lake Glazer. He had visited the locality,
but made no surveys, and his maps prepared
subsequently were based largely on the
surveys made by others. The publication of
his map accompanied by his claim as the dis
coverer of the new lake. attracted considerable
attention in scientific and geographic societies,
and started COD troversy. To settle it the
publishers before named caused to be made
| thorough investigation of all surveys and
maps previous to Glaciers, and, ALSO sent a
well organized exploring party headed by
Mr.. Hopewell Clarke, competent surveyor
and topographer, with instructions to care
fully survey and map the whole region. This
work was done in October and November last,
and the report and map are now published,
The result is to prove the falsity Of Glaciers
claim beyond any doubt. The lake which he
called Lake Glazier was discovered by j. N.
Nicollet, trained scientist and explorer in
| 1886, and has been surveyed and mapped
| by several others since, including govern
ment surveyors. Its true name is Elk
Lake. It does connect with and flow into
Lake Itasca, but the latter is very much
the larger body of water and as the
Mississippi flows from its northern extremity,
it is rightly called the source of the river.
Strictly speaking, the fountain-head of the
river is in small lake which lies still south oil
Elk lake, and the surface Of which is found tc
be 90 feet above that Of Lake Itasca This
small lake is fed by numerous springs along
it's borders, and a little stream runs from il
into Lake Itasca. Mr.. Clarke reports that il
isis the utmost source and fountain-head o.
the water flowing north into Lake Itasca,
from which, in turn, flows the Mississippi
The surrounding country is one Of tamaracl
swamps and several small creeks fed by
springs and surface drainage flow into Lake
Itasca, but only the Mississippi flows out o
it. The real discoverer of the source of tn
great river was he who has long been regarded
as such, j. N. Nicollet. In concluding tn
report of his recent exploration, Mr.. Clark
says:
''rhe last thing we did before leaving on
camp between the lakes was to erect on tn
top of the little knoll, in plain view from boil
J lakes and from Schoolcraft island on To,
north, a monument to the memory Of Nicollet
on which was inscribed the following: IT
the memory of j. N. Nicollet, who discov
: cred the source of the Mississippi river, Aug
20, 1885, This was done after fully explor
ing the country for miles around; and our lit
tie party Of three was fully satisfied that fift,
years ago Nicollet had discovered all there wa
to discover of the sources of the Mississippi
and that if he had lived to complete his repor
) on The Sources of the Mississippi and tn
North Red Rivers and to give to the worl
his unpublished map. there would have beef
7 no chance for any Glazier to confuse the geo
{ graphical world, or to play tricks upon the
learned societies of two continents. w
found OR work difficult enough, though W
!, were only days ride from civilization an